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Looking for paradise? You may find it here in Australia with over 10,000 beaches spread across its 50,000km coastline. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is not only the largest barrier reef in the world, but it is also home to the world’s largest oyster weighing up to 3 kg, longest earthworm stretching up to 4m, and heaviest crab weighing up to 14kg. A wealth of wildlife that cannot be found anywhere else in the world call Australia home. There are about 800 species of birds, over 4,000 varieties of fish, and thousands of species of invertebrates, plants and micro-organisms. Whether you’re looking to encounter one of Australia’s native animals such as the kangaroo or wallaby in one of the many National Parks, explore a rainforest, trek through the Outback, or dive the Great Barrier Reef, Australia is the place for you.
Australia is an island, a country and a continent. She is located in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean. Australia is sixth largest country in the world but is also the smallest continent. It occupies a land area of almost 7.8 million sq km, and remains the lowest, flattest, and the driest of all continents except for Antarctica. New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria are all states, whereas, Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory are territories in Australia.
Australia’s Aboriginal people, the country’s first settlers, arrived from South East Asia approximately 50,000 years ago and resided as hunters and gatherers. In 1770, Captain James Cook, claimed the area for Britian and subsequently instituted a penal colony some years later. In the early 1800’s, flourishing farms were created from the land given by the government to officers, soldiers, and emancipated convicts. In 1851 thousands were lured to Australia as a result of Gold being discovered. In the 1880’s modern cities were created, and in 1901, Australia became a nation. After being through two world wars and the Great Depression, Australia started to receive thousands of new immigrants from the Middle East and Europe in 1945. The economy in Austrailia grew as a result of the booming manufacturing sector, nation-building projects and Australian exports. Between 1948 and 1975, over two million migrants arrived in Australia. In 1996, after the Labor Party was removed from power, the new conservative party threatened to limit immigration and reduce gains made by the Aborigines. After imprisoning many refugees from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq for attempting to enter Australia, the government began easing its policies on immigration in 2004.
Australia has transformed itself so that it can compete internationally with its advanced market economy. Besides tourism, Australia, has a large services sector and is a major exporter of food, energy, and natural resources such as coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, and uranium. The Australian government is currently trying to increase its economic productivity through its relationship with China by addressing emissions trading legislation and other climate-related issues.
New South Wales
61 2 9382 3880
61 2 9316 4013
Western Australia
61 8 9431 2233
61 8 8212 9242
Tasmania
61 3 6222 8308
Northern Territory
61 8 8922 8230
South Australia
61 8 8222 5116
Queensland
61 7 4796 2080
61 7 3371 6033
Victoria
61 3 9276 2269
All travelers will require a valid passport and visa to enter Australia. New Zealand passport holders may apply for a visa once they arrive in Australia, whereas, all other passport holders will be required to apply for their visa prior to leaving home. Tourists planning a stay of up to 3 months should apply online for a Visitor ETA using the Australian government’s Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). Although the visa itself is free, there is a service charge to apply for it via the Internet. Since immigration policies change frequently and without prior notice, all travelers are advised to verify Australia’s current immigration requirements with the local authorities prior to leaving home.
Visitors are prohibited from bringing drugs, weapons, protected wildlife, plants, fruit, seeds, and packaged foods into Australia. Although there is not a limit on the amount of currency that you can bring to Australia, you must declare all amounts over $10,000. For more information regarding the customs requirements in Australia, please visit the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.
The Australian government does not require any vaccinations to enter the country unless you have arrived from or have visited a destination that is infected by yellow fever. In these cases, you will be required to present proof that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever.
It is recommended that all tourists purchase a travel insurance policy that will cover theft, loss, accidents, and medical emergencies. If you plan to participate in adventure sports such as scuba diving while on vacation, please verify that your policy will cover you for these events. All necessary prescriptions along with a letter from your physician detailing your medical condition and the medication being carried with you should accompany all visitors to Australia.
Australia is quite a distance from anywhere and, as a result, you should plan for a long haul to reach this dream destination. The international gateways in Australia are Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Cairns (CNS), Adelaide (ADL), Brisbane (BNE), Darwin (DRW), and Perth (PER); although most airlines only fly into Sydney. The following major airlines have regularly scheduled flights to Australia: American Airlines, Quantas Airways, and Air Canada; but you must consider the length of the flight, mandatory stopovers, and price when selecting an Airline carrier.
Visitors can also arrive in Australia by cruiseship; many international cruise liners visit Australian shores during the summer months and provide opportunities for various local tours and attractions. The following cruise lines that service Australia are: Princess Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Holland America, Seabourn Cruise Lines, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The ports of call for Australia include but are not limited to: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Each port is sure to provide an amazing and memorable experience.
All international airports in Australia have regular public transportation such as train, bus, and taxi service. In addition, you may also hire private car service to reach your acommodations in Australia. Due to the sheer size of Australia, there is quite a distance between many popular locations and tourists often fail to comprehend this fact. Visitors should utilize air travel for long trips and land travel for short hops of a few hours. Virgin Blue and Quantas Airlines along with its subsidiaries service every capital city and most major regional towns. Do not assume that there are direct flights to your destination of choice within Australia as their air network is not as well developed as that of Europe or North America. Australia’s rail network is vast and can take you from Perth right up the coast to Cairns. Trains generally cost more than buses, but they are clean, comfortable, and safe. The following are different organizations that offer rail service in Australia: Great Southern Rail, Countrylink, Transwa, and Traveltrain. Australia has an extensive bus network that can take you practically everywhere. The buses are clean and air-conditioned; and you can listen to music or play videos onboard while listening to the driver identify places of interest along the way. Greyhound Australia services most locations in Australia except for Tasmania which is serviced by Redline Coaches. Renting a car is another way to travel within Australia. Hertz, Budget, and Thrifty, available in most major cities, are a few of the car rental agencies that can assist you.
Australia’s accomodations include Farmstays, Rustic Country Pubs, Bed & Breakfast Inns, Motels & Motor Inns, Serviced Apartments and Luxury 4 and 5 Star Hotels. You can even partake in house-swapping as this is becoming increasingly popular. Accor, a french chain, has more than 100 properties and is the largest hotel group in Australia. Novotel, Sofitel, and Ibis are a few brands of the Accor hotel chain. Many other international chains such as Hilton, Marriott, and Sheraton also have properties in Australia.
In ports such as Cairns, liveaboard opportunities also welcome scuba divers who wish to stay close to the sea.
The “Land Down Under” has something to offer everyone from beautiful beaches, dramatic natural scenery, the oldest rainforest, the weirdest wildlife, man-made and natural wonders, and Aborigine culture. The Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House, the beautiful beaches on the Gold Coast, Ayers Rock and Alice Springs in the Outback, and Darwin and Kakadu National Park are some top attractions that should be part of every tourists “Must See” list.
Besides trekking in the Outback or scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, Australia offers its tourists the following other activities: abseiling, biking, caving, bird watching, horseback riding, camel trekking, fishing, canoeing and ocean kayaking, sailing, surfing, white-water rafting, and golfing.
The multicultural population has enabled Australia the fantastic cuisine it has today. Italian, French, Greek, and Vietnamese cuisine are all available in addition to fresh seafood right from the ocean. A good bottle of wine will make any meal more enjoyable. Australia has over 500 major companies and small winemakers producing wine commercially and these vintages from Down Under consistently beat international competitors. Some native Aussie specialities or “Bush Tuckers” are the kakudu plum which is a tangy green fruit with the highest recorded level of Vitamin C, kangaroo which is a red meat with gamey flavor, and quandong which is a tangy native peach.
Australia’s cities offer pubs, restaurants, and an endless array of nightclubs. Some of the planet’s most memorable parties happen in the Land Down Under, and there’s no shortage of theatre and shows. Whether your idea of the perfect evening out includes an elegant dinner with a jazz combo playing in the background or a relaxed get together with friends at a waterfront beach bar, you’re sure to find it in Australia.
Australia has malls, large department stores, and souvenir shops across the country. Most shops close around 6pm during the week except for Thursdays and Fridays which are open for late night shopping in different states. Queen Victoria Building (QVB) along with Chifley Plaza, Rocks Market, and Pitt Street Mall including the Strand, Skygarden and Glasshouse offer world class shopping in Sydney. Bourke Street Mall, Chinatown, Victoria Market, Block Arcade, and Southgate Plaza all offer exquisite shopping in Melbourne.
The 2,600km long Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef Marine Park’s large fringing reef, UNESCO’s world heritage site of Shark Bay, and the plethorah of shipwrecks found along Australia’s coasts make it one of the most popular dive destinations in the world. Diving Down Under on the largest barrier reef provides an unlimited number of dive sites among its 3,000 individual reefs, 300 coral cays, 900 fringing reefs, and over 2,500 islands. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, also called the “Blue Outback”, is home to at least 2,000 varieties of fish, around 400 species of coral, and about 4,000 species of mollusk. A diversity of sponges, anemones, sea urchins and crustaceans also line the reefs. In the winter months, you may be lucky enough to see turtles, manatees, sharks, and even humpback whales. The Australian government prohibits divers from removing or damaging any part of the reef ensuring that one of the world’s greatest natural wonders remains around for generations to come.
Australia has something for everyone, whether you’re an experienced diver or have never so much as gone snorkeling. Sydney is the exception, with little to offer novices, and much more for those with plenty of experience; gear rentals may be difficult to find in this area, so be sure to check in advance if planning to dive around Sydney.
Whether you enjoy wreck diving or prefer to stick to scenic reef dives, you’ll find Australia has just what you’re looking for. Queensland, particularly the northern portion, is home to many of Australia’s most popular dive sites, and offers no shortage of infrastructure. Many shops earn their bread and butter by teaching tourists to scuba dive, but some specialize in longer, more challenging trips designed to keep experienced divers happy.
In Western Australia, you can enjoy wreck and reef diving, and you can also enjoy special whale shark experiences, particularly around Ningaloo reef.
South Australia offers cage diving, where you can view Great White Sharks from the safety of a steel cage. If sharks aren’t really your thing, don’t despair; this area is also famous for its weedy and leafy sea dragons as well as for its rays. During the spring, head to Montague Island off Narooma, where you can dive with the area’s curious fur seals.
Eastern Australia has plenty of reef diving to offer, thanks to the Great Barrier Reef. Famous dive sites like Cod Hole, Michaelmas Reef, and Thetford Reef are located here.
To the northeast, the Coral Sea offers stunning pinnacles and outlying atolls that rival the Great Barrier Reef. Liveaboard travel is at its best here, offering encounters with hammerheads, marble rays and eagle rays, whale sharks, and lots of little creatures including nudibranchs and sea turtles.
The Northern Territory, which features lovely coral reefs, is like heaven for wreck divers, with an abundance of WWII shipwrecks and airplane wrecks. Marine life is abundant at many sites, with great pelagic action, manta rays, and sea turtles.
Tasmania is renowned for its untouched natural beauty. It offers nearly endless visibility, though the water is cooler than at mainland sites; dive among the giant kelp that grows near Munro Bight and you will be transported to another world.
Cave diving is also available at many locations throughout Australia, with the 6 kilometer Cocklebiddy Cave being the most exciting of the continent’s cave dives by far. Rebreather divers have ventured far into its reaches. The Cave Divers Association of Australia is an excellent resource for anyone who is interested in a true adventure “Down Under.”
As Australia is a vast continent, air and water temperatures vary by season and location. Water temperatures at and below Sydney’s latitude are an average of 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit) during the winter months and 22 degrees Celsius (71 degrees Fahrenheit) during the summer. Air temperatures are usually mild, averaging 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter and 23 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer.
Along the north coast, you’ll find warmer water all year round, with temperatures soaring to as high as 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) during the summer months and a mild 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit) during the winter months. The weather here is warmer, with temperatures ranging from about 30.5 degrees Celsius (86.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter and 33.3 degrees Celsius (91.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer. Temperatures are occasionally much cooler or much warmer, however tropical weather prevails.
Exposure protection needs vary by location and season. When diving at or below Sydney’s latitude, you’ll need at least a 5mm wetsuit in summer, plus a hood if you’re used to diving in warmer water or plan to take deep or extended dives. During the winter months, most locals wear semi-dry or drysuits to stay warm.
In the north, where air and water temperatures are warmer, you can wear a shortie during the summer and a 3mm to 5mm wetsuit during the winter months.
There are more than a thousand dive sites in Australia, with approximately 400 around Queensland, more than 200 around Victoria, and countless others throughout the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Western Australia, and beyond. Think of it this way: Australia has more than 2,900 reefs, 900 islands, and more than a million square miles of ocean.
Many of Australia’s dive sites can be accessed from shore, but most of the best are boat dives. Australia is also a great place to take a liveaboard cruise, with accommodations ranging from budget-conscious to luxurious.
Divers visiting Australia will find that visibility is generally quite good though it varies greatly from one region to the next, with average visibility often increasing to 50 meters or better during the winter months and sometimes dropping to 10 meters or less during the summer. In tropical areas to the north, visibility averages 30 meters year round.
Depths vary greatly throughout Australia’s dive sites, with the average being 20 meters or less. There is an abundance of snorkeling available, and there is no shortage of dives with depths beyond 40 meters.
Currents vary significantly depending on season and location, with some sites offering drift diving year-round. All regions offer a variety of current conditions to suit varying experience levels and diving preferences.
Surge varies throughout Australia, with many protected dive sites experiencing very little, and some walls, outer reefs, and outlying sites experiencing a great deal more depending on the amount of wave action and underwater features.
Most of the dangers associated with scuba diving in Australia are connected to dangerous marine life. Irukandji Jellifish, Box Jellyfish, Blue Ringed Octopus, Stonefish, Lionfish, Stingrays, sharks, and venomous Cone Shells are all potential threats to health and safety. Be cognizant of the dangers associated with these creatures and enjoy viewing them from a respectful distance.
In Queensland, visit the Famous Cod Hole and the SS Yongala Wreck with its artifacts, variety of coral, and spectacular marine life. In Australia’s Northern Territory, you can experience prolific invertebrates among the various the World War II wrecks. Just outside Mornington Pennisula, Port Phillip Heads Marine Park in Victoria, offers wall dives, drop-offs and submerged World War I submarines. Lonsdale Wall with its series of undercut ledges and caverns and Rip Drift where hundreds of ships have been lost are some other popular dive sites in Victoria.
In South Australia, a naturalists paradise, you can dive with playful sea-lions and bottlenosed dolphins in Baird Bay. If you are lucky, you may even encounter the magnificent Blue devilfish which can only be found in other southern states. Cage-diving with great white sharks is also available in Port Lincoln if you feel up for the challenge. Western Australia occupies more than one-third of Australia’s coastline and is the only state that covers both tropical and temperate waters with their respective marine life species. This area provides the greatest number of varied dive sites providing divers with opportunities for wrecks, reefs, and schools of pelagics; diving is most popular in Rottnest Island.
Julian Rocks Marine Preserve in New South Wales (NSW) provides swimthroughs, caves, and trenches and is often visited by Leopard Sharks. Clovelly and Gordons Bay in NSW are equally as popular and weedfish, seadragons, and wobbegongs are easily spotted. In Tasmania, you can dive the scuttled Troy D and caves of Waterfall Bay. The Fortescue Bay Kelp Forest also makes for an exquisite dive.
You must be certified if you want to dive while traveling in Australia. In addition, you must normally provide evidence of emergency medical coverage. Choose your dive operator in advance and obtain a checklist before traveling to ensure all requirements are met before travel dates.
There is no shortage of dive operators in Australia, but space can be limited during the summer months. Many operators offer equipment rentals and certification, with availability varying from one company to the next.
There are several civilian hyperbaric chambers in Australia:
Queensland:
South Australia:
Northern Territory:
Western Australia:
Tasmania:
Victoria:
New South Wales:
If you believe you may need treatment at a hyperbaric chamber or have other dive-related medical concerns, you can reach the Divers Emergency service, which is operated by Divers Alert Network Asia Pacific at 1800 088 200 or +61 8 8212 9242. The numbers are staffed 24 hours per day, with physicians capable of referring you to a local emergency department or arranging for evacuation.
Australia’s general emergency number for an ambulance is 000 from a landline or 112 from a mobile phone.
Australia is home to several marine protected areas; in fact, it has the world’s most extensive network of marine reserves. In many areas, fishing is either prohibited or restricted, and gas and oil exploration are forbidden. A 194,000 square mile section of Australia’s Coral Sea has been designated as a no-take marine reserve. As this area is home to many species found nowhere else on earth, protection is vital for marine life survival.
Not only are the commonwealth’s marine reserves good for marine life, protecting and maintaining biodiversity, many of them are designated as important recreation areas where habitat and species protection is a foremost concern.
In all, the Commonwealth’s marine reserves cover an area that’s nearly one third the size of Australia itself. In many areas, the coral is pristine, sharks, turtles, and other large marine animals can be seen in abundance, and there’s no end to the astonishing sights that await just beneath the surface.